Sand spreader



' Oct. 26, 1943. R ow ETAL 2,332,903

SAND SPREADER Filed Oct. 6, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS BURLEIGH R.DOW BY ORVILLE EEICHE Y FRANKLBALLEW MWW Oct. 26, 1943.

B. R DOWNEY ET AL SAND SPREADER Filed Oct. 6, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIGJO.

FIGJ l.

INVENTORS BURLEIGH R. DOWNEY BY ORVILLEREIGHEN FRAZ I-LaALLEW Patented Got. 26, 1943 SAND SPREADER V Burleigh It. Downey, Charlotte, Orville F. Eichen,

Lansing, Mich.

and Frank E. Ballew, Woodland,

ApplicationOctober 6, 1941, Serial No. 413,896

(Cl. Z75--S) Claims.

This invention relates generally to sanding apparatus and refers more particularly to portable apparatus adapted to be carried by a suitable vehicle such as a dump truck for distributing loose material such as sand, gravel, dirt, chloride and. the like over a predetermined surface such as a highway, road or street.

One of the essential objects of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this type having a slow moving agitating means for feeding the loose materialonto a fast moving spinner or distributor wheel.

apparatus to be located when the hooks are applied to said pivots.

Another object is to provide an apparatus wherein the slow moving agitating means and the fast moving distributor wheel have a common source of power.

Another object is to provide, an apparatus wherein an increaseddriving torque for the agitating means is obtained so that such means will have greater power.

Another object is to provide an apparatus wherein the agitating means includes a stirrer for breaking up any tendency of the sand or other road material to bridge or cake in the hopper, and a pusher for positively or forcibly feeding the stirred material downwardly through the outlet of the hopper onto the distributor wheel,

Another object ,is to provide an apparatus wherein the distributor wheel is preferably driven by belts from a suitable motor, while the agitating means is driven from the distributor wheel by concentric shafts fixed respectively to the distributor wheel and agitating means and connected bycooperating pulleys and belts constituting a speed reduction unit.

Another object is to provide an apparatus wherein the common source of power aforesaid may be regulated by a single hand lever conveniently located'at the top of the apparatus.

means for the distributor wheel shaft and to exclude sand or other loose or abrasive material therefrom.

Another object is to provide an apparatus having a gravity hitch including hooks adapted to hang upon one or more pivots carried by the dump truck and also including adjustments for the hooks permitting the center of gravity of the Another object is to provide an apparatus that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, easy to apply to a dump truck or other suitable vehicle, efiioient in operation, and easy to repair when in service on the road.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying our invention mounted upon the rear end of a truck, with parts of the latter broken away;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the sanding apparatus;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a, sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line li6 of Figure 5;

I Figure 8 is a rear elevation of the sanding apparatus;

Figure 9 is aperspective view of the mounting for the apparatus; a

Figure 10 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line Ill-19 of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken substanQ tially on the line I !l I of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, A is a dump truck having a tiltable body B, C is a sanding apparatus embodying our invention, and D is a mounting for the apparatus carried by the rear wall it! of the truck body.

As shown, the sandingapparatus comprises a hopper ll adapted to receive loose material such as sand, gravel, dirt, etc., from an outlet (not shown) inthe rear wall I!) of the truck body, a rotary distributor wheel I2 beneath and adapted to receive the loose material from the hopper H, slidable doors l3 and M for controlling the discharge of the loose material from the hopper H to the distributor wheel I2, agitating means l5 within the hopper H and including a stirrer I6 and a pusher I! for the loose material, an internal combustion engine I8 constituting a common source of power for the distributor Wheel I2 and agitating means l5,:belts I9 and distributor wheel l2 and agitating means itl'and connected by cooperating pulleys 24 to 29,. inclusive, and belts 3 to 32, inclusive, constituting a speed reduction unit for transmitting power from the distributor wheel 2 to the agitating means I 5. I

The hopper H for the road material has upright side walls 33 and 3 4 that decrease in depth I from the rear to the front thereof, a' front wall 35 having an upright lower portion 36 and an upwardly and forwardly inclined'upperportion 31, a rear wall 38 having an upright lower por tion 39 and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined upper portion 4!] provided at its upper edge with an upright portion i l, and inclined bottomwalls 42 and 43 that extend inwardly and downwardly from the upright side walls-33 and 53 along the upright portions 36 and 39 of the front and rear walls and have'their lower ends spaced apart. to provide an outlet opening 44- through which the road material may be discharged ento thedistributor wheel [2. To provide proper clearance for the stirrer it of the agitating means, the front and rear wheels 35 and 38,, respectively, ofthe hopper are dished as at E5 and 46, respectively. I

The doors i3 and M .forcontrolling the discharge of the road'material through the outlet 44 of the hopper H onto the distributor wheel (2, are slidable inguides 4'? on the underside of theinclined bottom walls #2 and i3 and maybe operated by any suitablemeans such as the hand levers 48. Preferably these levers are in the form of bell cranks and are pivotedupon. the outer sides of the upright wall members 33 and 34 adjacent the rear ends thereof. Shafts 49 are journaled in suitable hangers 5E3 suspended from the wall members 33 and 34, arms 51 are rigid with said shafts, links 52 are terminally connected to the bell crank levers-e3 and arms 5|, arms 53- are rigid withthe doors 13' and M, levers W are rigid with the shaftswld, and links 55 are terminally connected-to the arms 53 and levers 5%. In order that the doors l3 and l d may be retained in any adjusted position, thehand levers 48 have lateral flanges EB-that are e'ngageable with serrations or notches 51in the. outer edges of lateral flanges 58'at the upper edges of the upright'wall members 33 and 34'.

Located within the opening 44 in the bottom of the hoppfir is'a crossbar 69 rigid with' the lower uprightpo-rti-ons; 36 and 39, respectively, of the front andrear walls, while abovethe hopper is asubstanttally horizontal. frame 6! supported by diagonal bars -52 from the upright side walls 33- and M of the hopper and by an upright bar 63 from the uppermost upright portion 4 of the rear wa1l.= I

The shaft 22 forthedistributor wheel is journaled in bearings 64 and65,-respectively, carried by'the crossbar wand the frame fi l. Preferably tl iel'ower'bearings 64 are in a recess in the underside of the crossbar while the upper bearings-G5 are within a; sectional housing carried by the frame" M. The cup-shaped section 61' of the housing is rigid with portions 68 and Bill of the frame, while'the c'ov'er section l8. of'this housing-is removable and normally is. secured by a screw H to the shaft 22, suitable clearancebeiirgzprovidedbetweeu the cover Tll'and the cupshapedxsection ill of the housing to permit the cowertorotate with the-shaft when the latter is rotating. A tubular sleeve 12 is provided on the shaft 22 between the cover 70 and the inner race 73 of the bearing 65; while a relatively thin washer M is provided in the housing 66 between the bottom thereof and the outer race E5 of the bearing. Thus, a thrust bearing is provided at the upper end of the shaft 22, and the inner race '53 is spaced suficiently abovethe bottom of the housing 5% to avoid wear. 1

The distributor wheel f2 has a hub l5 keyed to the shaft 22 at its lower end beneath the crossbar Ell and is provided at the lower end of the hub with a solid disk-like body 11 having radially extending ribs 78 on the upper surface thereof.

A; peripherally grooved wheel 19 for the belt Eil is supported by uprights 80 rigid with the disklike body 11 of the distributor wheel. Preferably 'thisbelt 29 is reeved on pulleys 8| and 82 carried by an angle bar 83 depending from the rear wall 38 of the hopper and on the smaller section 8-4 of the double pulley 2t. The belt i9 is reeved on the larger section. 85- of the double pulley 2 l. and on a pulley (not shown) carried by the drive shaft 88 of the internal combustion engine.

In. the present instance, an eccentric 87- is usedto. move the shaft-88 for the double pulley 2% back and forth in an elongated slot B9 in the web 90 of a channel. bar 9! rigidwith the. engine block 92 to cause the pulley 21 to move'toward or away from the engine iii-and thus'slackenor tighten the belt It. This in effect constitutes a clutch for controlling the operation of the distributor wheel it from the engine ill. The eccentric 81 is mounted on the shaft 88 and is pivoted: on a, pin Q3 rigid with. the-web 9-9: of the. channel bar.

For actuating the eccentric 81,.there is. a hand lever 94 pivoted upon the frame El, a lever 95 rigid with the eccentric, and alongitudinally adjustable rod llfi extending. between and.terminal-- 1y connected to said Ieverstld and 25. Any suitable remote oontrol means such as the hand lever 91 carried by the frame 5| .may be used to actuate the throttle cable. 98' of the engine 13.-

The shaft 23 for the agitating means 95 is tubularand is concentric with the shaft 2?. for

the distributor wheel 12.. Preferably this tubular shaft is locatedv between the crossbar fill and the frame 5| and is sleeved on suitable bushings 99 and. tilt, respec-ztively on the shaft 22. Between the-lower end of. thetubular shaft 23 and an. upstanding tubular portion tilt of the crossbar 66- is a spacer ring or washer m2, while clamped upon. the tubularshaft 23 anddependinglike, a skirt over the tubular portion. E5! of the crossbar is'a. flexible. tube 63 that prevents the escape of' grease, oileor. other lubricating means for the shaft 22 and excludes therefrom dust, dirt, sand or. any other foreign substance that. might havean abrasive action on the shaft 22 or associated parts.

The agitating means l5 for the road material in the hopperlf iswelded or otherwise rigidly secured to the tubular shaft 23 adjacentitslower end; As. shown, the stirrer i6 is a substantially V-shaped bar that opens toward and is terminally secured to one side'of the tubular shaft 23, while the pusher. I1 is an arcuate bar that in clines. or curves downwardly from one'end thereof to the other and is carried at the outer end of an arm I04 projecting laterally fromv the diametrically opposite side of the tubular shaft 23 just below the lower end.- ofthe stirrer l6. Preferably the stirrer i6 is designed to break up any tendency of the sand. or other road material in thehoppcr to bridge or cakawhile the pusher ll shaft 23 and the frame Ill, the pulley 25 is keyed to a vertical stub shaft I journaled in the arms I05 and I01 of a yoke I88, the belt is reeved on the pulleys 24 and '25, the pulleys 26 and 2i are keyed respectively to the stub shaft Hi5 and tubular shaft 23, the belt 3! is reeved on the pulleys 26 and 21, the pulleys 2B and 29 are keyed respectively to the stub shaft Iilii and tubular shaft 23, and the belt 32 is reeved on the pulleys 28 and 29. As shown, the pulley 25 is larger than the pulley 25 while the pulleys 26 and 28 are alike and are smaller than the pulleys 21 and 29, hence this assembly of pulleys and belts constitutes a speed reduction unit for the tubular shaft 23.

Preferably the yoke we is rigid with a rod I09 that is slidable lengthwise in a tube IIG extending through and rigid with the upright bar 63. A hand crank I I I threadedly engages the rod I09 beyond the outer end of the tube III), while a cotter pin H2 extends through the rod Hi9 and engages elongated slots H3 in diametrically opposite sides of the tube II!) to prevent the rod I09 from turning. Hence, the hand crank III may be turned on .the rod I09 to slide it in or out to loosen or tightenthe belts 30 to 32, inclusive, on their respective pulleys. This in effect constitutes a clutch for controlling the operation of the shaft 23 from the shaft 22.

In the present instance, the internal combustion engine I8 is carried by a platform H4 at the lower. edges of and rigid with the upright side walls 33 and 34, and such platform is provided with depending ground engaging legs I I5 for supporting the apparatus when it is not carried by the mounting D on the rear end of the truck body B.

The mounting D is embodied in a separate ap plication, Serial No. 413,887, filed October 6, 1941, by Herbert R. Moore, which issued July 6, 1943, as U. S. Patent No. 2,323,345. Preferably the mounting includes a pair of laterally spaced upright frames IIIi provided with hooks M1 for supporting engagement with the upper edge of iii the rear wall Iil of the truck body, spreader bars H8 and H9 extending between and secured to said spaced frames, gravity hitch U-bolt brackets I carried by the frames, and tubular sleeves I2I on the lower arms I22 of the U-bolts forming bearings for the hook-shaped portions I23 of r brackets I2 3 carried by the upright wall members 33 and 34 of the hopper. As shown, these brackets I24 have a sliding adjustment on the hopper so that the center of gravity of the sanding apparatus may be located when it is applied to the mounting D.

In use, the sanding apparatus Cgrnay be readily applied to the dump truck body 13 by first placing the hooks II! of the mounting D over the upper edge of the rear wall I0 of the dump truck body, and then placing the hook-shaped portions I23 of the brackets I24 carried by the hopper upon thebearings I22 of the mounting D. In this connection the U-bolts I20 Carrying the bearings I22 are adjustable vertically on the frames H6 to position the distributor wheel I2 close to the ground, and the lowermost spreader bar H9 is likewise adjustable on the frames H6 to be in proper po t to se ve as a ab tment or stop for the hopper II when, for example, the truck Ais stopped suddenly while traveling over a road, to thereby prevent the distributor wheel I2 from striking and being damaged by the rear drawbar (not shown) or other rearward projection of the truck. Once applied as aforesaid, the apparatus will, by the action of gravity, be in an upright position so that the distributor wheel I2 will be parallel to the ground and, accordingly, will distribute the road material horizontally overthe road.

The doors l3 and I4 may be operated according to the work to be done. For example, if both sides of a road are to be covered by road ma terial, then both doors are opened; If the left side only of the road is to be covered, then the left-hand door only is opened so the material will be directed in that direction by the closed inclined right-hand door, and vice-versa if it is desired to cover the right-hand side only of a road. As the distributor wheel I2 rotates, the ribs I8 thereof will throw the material outwardly over the road. I

Preferably the distributor wheel I2 has approximately 200 R. P. M., while the tubular shaft 23 and agitating means I5 carried thereby have approximately R. P. M. However, it is apparent that this ratio may be varied as desired. As a result, an increased torque is obtained and the agitating means has greater power. When rotating, the stirrer IE will effectively break up any tendency of the road material to cake or bridge in the hopper, while the pusher I! will forcibly feed the material downwardly through the opening 44 toward the distributor wheel I2. Thus, this construction is capable of handling satisfactorily wet road material such as wet sand if necessary.

The eccentric 81 and associated parts serve in effect as a clutch to control operation of both the distributor wheel I2 and agitating means I5, while the yoke I08 and associated parts including the hand crank I I I likewise serve as a clutch for the agitating means I5 only. The speed of the engine I8 may be regulated bythe hand lever 91. Thus, the apparatus is complete and practical for the purposes for which it is designed and can handle any loose material for distribution over any predetermined surface;

What we claim as our invention is:

1. An apparatusof the class described having a hopper for roady'inaterial, a distributor wheel below the hopper, means within the hopper for agitating the material and for force feeding the same onto the distributor wheel, a power plant,

clutch controlled means operable by said power plant for driving the distributor wheel, and clutch controlled means operable by said distributor wheel for driving the agitating means.

2. An apparatus of the class described having a hopper for road material, a crossbar at the bottom of the hopper having a shaft opening therein and an upstanding tubular portion at the upper end of said opening, a distributor wheel below thehopper, a shaft for said wheel extending through the opening in said crossbar, agitating means for the material within the hopper, a shaft for said agitating means concentric with the shaft aforesaid above the crossbar, and a flexible tube clamped on the last mentioned shaft and depending therefrom like a skirt over the upstanding tubular portion of the crossbar for preventing the escape of lubricating means for either of said shafts and for excluding road or foreign material therefrom:

carried by the tubular shaft within the hopper,

driving connection between said concentric shafts including an adjustable speed reduction unit functioning as a clutch, and means foradjustingsaid unit to control the driving connection; l I

' l, An apparatus of the class described having a pair. of concentrically arranged shafts, a distributor wheel fixed to one of 'said' shafts, agitating means fixed to the second shaft, means connected to the distributor wheelfor driving the first mentioned shaft, andmeans including a speed reduction unit for driving the, second mentioned shaft from the first-mentionedshaft.

5. An apparatus of the class described having a distributor WheeLa supporting shaft "for said distributor wheeha tubular shaft substantially concentric with the shaft first mentioned, one or more agitating elements on the tubularv shaft, means connected to the distributor wheel for rotating the firstwmentioned shaft, and means including'a speed reduction unit for driving the tubular shaft from. the first mentioned shaft.

6. An; apparatus of the class described having a rotary distributor wheel, a peripherally grooved wheel rigid with said distributor wheel, a power plant'having a drive shaft provided with a pulley wheel, a structural member rigid with the power plant, two pulleys arranged side by side and having a common shaft slidable in the structural member, an endless 'drivin element reeved on the drive shaft. pulley wheel and on one of the two pulleys mentioned, an endless driving element reeved on the other of the two pulleys mentioned and on the peripherally grooved Wheel aforesaid, and means for sliding the slidable shaft relative to the structural member to vary the tension of the first mentioned endless driving element. 1

- '7. An apparatus of the class described having an inner shaft and an outer shaft, a distributor wheel on the inner shaft, agitating means on the outer shaft, means connected to the distributor wheel for actuating the inner shaft, and means for driving the outer shaft'from the inner shaftb '8;'.An apparatus of the class described having an inner shaft and an outer shaft, a distributor wheel on the inner shaft, agitating means on the outer shaft, means connected to the distributor wheel for actuating the inner shaft, and means including a speed change unit for driving the outer shaft from the inner shaft.

9. An apparatus of the class described adapted to be mounted upon and removed from a road vehicle and having a hopper provided at the bottom thereof with a discharge opening, a rotary distributor wheel beneath the hopper for receiving material from said discharge opening, a power plant for the rotary; distributor Wheel, and a platform for the power plant having supporting legs extending downwardly below the rotarydistributor wheel for engagement with the ground when the apparatus is removed from the road vehicle, the constructionand arrangement of said legs relative to the distributor wheel being such that said wheel will be spaced safely above the ground when said legs are in engagement with the ground, and said legs will not interfere materially with the distribution of material from said distributor wheel when the apparatus is mounted upon the road vehicle. I

10. An apparatus of the class described having a hopper provided at the bottom thereof with an outlet, upright concentric shafts extending centrally of the hopper, means on one of said shafts within the hopper for agitating material Within said hopper, means on the other of said shafts beneath said outlet for receiving and distributing over a given area the material that has been agitated, a source of power remote to the concentric shafts, means for driving the shaft for the distributing means from said source ofpower, and means including a clutch controlled speed reduction unit for driving the shaft for the eel: tating means from the shaft for the distributing means.

11. An apparatus of the class described having a hopper provided at the bottom thereof With anoutlet, upright operatively connected concen tric shafts within said hopper, the innermost shaft extending downwardly below the outer shaft, a cross bar carried by the hopper below the outer shaft and receiving the downward extension of the inner shaft, said cross bar having an upstanding tubular part spaced from but substantially in alignment with the lower end of the outer shaft, a tube sleeved on the lower end of the outer shaft and depending like a skirt over the upstanding tubular part of the cross bar to prevent escape of lubricant and to exclude dirt from the inner shaft, agitating means for material in the hopper carried by the outer shaft, and means carried by the downward extension of the inner shaft for receiving agitated material from the outlet of the hopper and distributing the same over a given area.

12; An apparatus of the class described having a. hopper provided at the bottom thereof with an outlet, upright concentric shafts Within said hopper, the innermost shaft having end portions extending respectively upwardly above and downwardly below the'outer shaft, agitating means for material in the hopper carried by the outer shaft, means carried by the downward extension of the inner shaft for receiving agitated material from the outlet of the hopper and distributing the same over a given area, and a clutch controlled speedleduction unit connecting the upward extension of the inner shaft to the outer shaft.

13. An apparatus of the class described having a hopper for road material, a distributor wheel below the hoppena shaft for said Wheel, agitating means for the'material within the hopper, a shaft for said agitating means concentric with the shaft aforesaid, a driving. connection between said concentric shafts includingan adjustable speed reductionunit functioning as a clutch, and means for adjusting said unit to control the driving connection. v

14. An apparatus of the class described having a rotary distributor wheel, a drive wheel rigid with said distributor wheel, a power plant having a drive shaft provided with a pulley wheel, a structural member fixed relative to the power plant, two pulleys arranged side by side and hav ing a common shaft carried. by and adjustable relative to the structural member,'an endless driving element reeved on the drive shaft pulley wheel and on one of the two pulleys mentioned, an endless driving element reeved on the other,

of the two pulleys mentioned and on the drive wheel mentioned, and means foradjusting the adjustable shaft relative to the struoturalmember to vary the tension of one of the endless driving elements aforesaid.

15. An apparatus of the class described having a rotary distributor wheel, a drive wheel rigid with said distributor wheel, a power plant having a drive shaft provided with a pulley wheel,

a structural member fixed relative to the power 0 plant, two pulleys arranged side by side and having a common shaft carried by and adjustable relative to the structural member, an endless driving element reeved on the drive shaft pulley wheel and on one of the two pulleys mentioned, and an endless driving element reeved on the other of the two pulleys mentioned and on the drive wheel aforesaid.

BURLEIGH R. DOWNEY. ORVILLE F. EICHEN. FRANK E. BALLEVI. 

